More Volume Less Cowbell

I feel like a couple of guys were up to no good and started making trouble in my neighborhood. Fresh!

More Volume:

Bike:

2008 hours leading up to Ironman Hawaii: 207hr 15m

2010 hours leading up to Ironman Cozumel: 244hr 43m

+18% increase in bike volume

Swim:

2008 Yards leading up to Ironman Hawaii: 98,960

2010 Yards leading up to Ironman Cozumel: 242,950

+145% increase in swim volume

Run:

2008 miles leading up to Ironman Hawaii: 981 mi

2010 miles leading up to Ironman Cozumel: 1302 mi

+33% increase in run volume

The goal at Cozumel is simply to better each split from Hawaii. Although just about nothing is predictable over the course of 140.6 miles, I feel the benchmarks in parentheses are realistic and attainable. Out of reach, but not out of sight.

Kona splits...

Swim: 1:12:03 - (1:04:00)

Bike: 5:44:01 - (5:20:00)

Run: 3:29:18 - (3:08:00)

The vast majority of training this year has been somewhat cavemanesque. Taking into consideration my lack of gadgets on race day, I trained this year in a similar fashion, by feel. No bike computer, Powertap (until the final build, thanks to Fix and Fix), HR monitor, no big weird clock in the pool and only about 5 timed track workouts on the year with the men of York.

This year I cut gluten out of my diet, and tried to stick to a paleo as much as possible (hence my fire academy alias: birdseed). The firehouse proves to be the most difficult place to resist temptation, especially Saturdays. My moniker at Engine 13 poorly represents my food choices yet epitomizes my not so stereotypical firefighter stature: "Hotdog".

As opposed to 2008, I experienced absolutely no abnormal fatigue. In hindsight, 9 weeks of 2008 run mileage was at 10 miles or less. In comparison only one week in 2010 was under 10mi running, and was an active recovery week, not due to fatigue. Three weeks in 2008 were spent completely off the bike, worse yet, all of which during the build to IMOO / Hawaii.

The build to IMCOZ has been quite smooth. With Mary T already qualified, and more good news today of Lapinski's Kona qualification presents even more motivation for Sunday.

Today was a quick 1700 yards in the pool, with a race simulated fast initial 500 and some sighting then a 6 mile run (7:00, 6:40, 6:38, 6:25, 6:25, 6:18) held back, super relaxed. Tomorrow 1:30 easy at CT class and a flop. Fly out Thanksgiving morning and spend my first night in Cozumel at the Wyndham with some random guy from Idaho. A Larabar / Quinoa / coconut water thanksgiving feast will be had. *note to self 112 miles = 180.25 K (so I don't get mind F'd when all they post on the bike course are km markers. ** El Nino = The Nino